Turning a Bad Day Good (or Scars)
by Fabulous 32
Summary: Something tips Tilly over the edge and Margot is the only person who can bring her back down. Set during the curse between the bracelet gift and Gothel's abduction.
1. Chapter 1

**So I got an anonymous prompt on Tumblr to write a Margot and Tilly first kiss before the curse was broken (which was nice).**

 **I'd already written one version of a Margot and Tilly kiss so tried to think of another scenario... needless to say this story is probably not what anonymous meant but its where my muse took me...**

 **...**

It was not a normal day at the Rollin' Bayou. Drew was working an extra shift to make up for ones he'd missed being questioned by police. He didn't go into detail and Sabine really didn't want to ask. Tilly was there too, over eager and happy to start work.

As they hadn't spent time together before, Sabine took Drew aside and told him to be nice to Tilly… but also to be gentle.

He just shrugged and winked,

"Aren't I always."

It turned out Drew and Tilly made a pretty good team. Tilly could more than match Drew in the charm department when it came to handling customers and Tilly's manic energy was a perfect counterpoint to Drew's laid-back approach.

The lunch rush ended, and the quiet lull gave way to conversation. While Sabine worked preparing the vegetables for the gumbo, Drew and Tilly were leaning on the counter. Drew was, as always, trying to be smooth and flirty but Tilly seemed completely immune.

"So what's that on your wrist?" Drew asked.

Tilly's bright smile increased by a million watts as she held up her right wrist, displaying the rainbow braid adorning it.

"Do you like it? Margot gave it to me. We went on a date and she said it was for me because us dating was like the start of one great adventure. Margot's travelled the world, she's amazing…"

"I actually meant the other wrist…" said Drew breaking her flow. "It's cool. Is it a brand?"

He grabbed at Tilly's left wrist, turning it, to show the shell-like spiral that marred it.

At his touch Tilly pulled her arm away and tucked it up her sleeve.

Tilly hated the scar; hid it under a homemade bracelet. She didn't know where it came from. She just knew it was something bad.

It was as if a switch had been flicked, the way Tilly pulled away. Her happiness was replaced with something else. Drew didn't notice, still too focused on the mark.

"Did it hurt?" he asked.

"Yes," said Tilly quietly, clutching at her chest above her heart. "It hurt here."

Sabine noticed the change in Tilly even if Drew hadn't. She dropped her vegetable knife, grabbed the guy by the collar and dragged him outside.

She berated him for a good five minutes about how she'd told him to be gentle and back then he just wasn't.

"Hey, she's lived on these street for years, she's a tough kid." Insisted Drew.

Sabine just met his gaze, her lips a firm line.

"No, she's not."

She shook her head exasperated at him.

"Just go take your break." She said. "I'll make sure she's alright."

…

The Tilly Sabine found when she stepped back into the cab was far from alright. She was staring into space, her hand clutching at her chest in a sporadic, thoughtless motion.

"Tilly?" Sabine ventured, reaching out a hand to touch the girl's shoulder and try and break the trance.

Tilly didn't seem to hear her. Instead a tear rolled down her cheek as she whispered,

"It hurts."

Rogers had warned her that sometimes things get too much for Tilly and an episode like this could occur. She was under strict instructions to call if it did.

"Okay…" said Sabine calmly. "Tilly why don't you take a seat. I'll call Roger's he'll come and get you, okay?"

Tilly didn't move, just kept clutching at her heart.

Sabine had to physically manoeuvre the girl to the back of the truck and guide her to sit down on a stack of boxes.

Sabine then got out her cell and rang Rogers. The phone went straight to his answer service. Sabine left what felt like an inadequate message before hanging up and trying to call the station. The desk-sergeant told her that Weaver and Rogers were out on a case. Sabine left another message with him but the sergeant couldn't tell her when the two detectives would be back.

Sabine was at an impasse. If she couldn't find someone to take Tilly home, then she'd have to close the truck to do it herself - and lose a day's business in the process which she really couldn't afford.

Sabine then had a thought and looked up the number to call Roni's Bar.

…

Margot ran all the way to the square.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" she stammered, as Sabine came out to meet her.

Sabine inclined her head to the truck.

"She's in there. I didn't know who else to call."

"No it's okay… it's all good." Margot reassured her.

Margot's confidence faded a little when she saw Tilly huddled in the back of the truck, rocking and looking so blank.

Margot crouched before her girlfriend, (if one and a half dates counted them as such) and tried to catch her eye.

"Tilly, it's Margot. I've come to take you home."

Tilly's eyes flickered in her direction and there was a level of recognition, but also the sense that Tilly wasn't really seeing her at all.

Tilly moved close and whispered in Margot's ear.

"I can't go. She won't let me. I'm trapped, and she won't let me out."

"You're not trapped Tilly. Sabine isn't holding you here."

"No." snapped Tilly, as if angry that Margot didn't understand. "Not Sabine… _HER_ … She won't let me out. We're all trapped… all of us… but she's trapped me the worst of all."

The venom in Tilly's voice caused Margot to rock back on her heels. Realising that the only way to get through to Tilly was to play along. Margot tried to widen her worried smile as she stood back up.

"Then you're lucky I'm here." She said, holding out her hand in what she hoped was a gallant manner. "Tilly, you're not trapped anymore because I'm here to rescue you."

Tilly's brow furrowed as she looked from Margot's smile to her proffered hand, but something moved her to take it, stand and follow Margot out of the truck.

…

The journey back to Roger's apartment was slightly more eventful. Tilly was alternately clutching at her chest as if there was something inside she needed to get out or rubbing her left wrist against her leg as if wiping away a stain.

By the first block she'd shed her coat and pulled her work t-shirt off over her head as if shedding a barrier helped with the urges. Being Tilly, she had three more layers of clothing underneath but Margot grabbed her wrist intending to kept a firm hold just in case the striptease continued.

Tilly twisted under her grip.

"Don't touch, don't touch, don't touch." She cried, a whole new level of panic overtaking the blank plucking of her heart. Tilly was almost screaming as she tried to take back her arm.

Margot felt the bump of scar tissue under her finger's as Tilly squirmed, and realising she was making this worse let go.

Tilly pressed her wrist to her chest… to her heart and looked at Margot in fear.

"I'm sorry." said Margot, stepping back and holding up her hands as if in surrender. "We just need to get you home Tilly. We're escaping remember and I need to get you somewhere safe."

Tilly settled as Margot fell back into the plot of the story clearly running through her head.

Margot held out her hand, much as she'd done in the truck.

"Come in Tilly. Come on. We're are turning this back into a good day if it kills me."

…

Margot rummaged through the pockets of the green coat in her arms for Tilly's keys and let them both into Roger's apartment.

She was going to ask where Tilly kept her medication when she noticed the dining table. There was an abandoned cereal box, a half-eaten bowl of cereal, the milk clearly left out all day and a note in thick black ink 'Remember your pills' and a large outline draw around two of the said pills; un-swallowed.

"Well there your pills." Margot muttered. "I guess you got distracted at breakfast."

Margot had hoped coming back to the safety of the apartment would settle her but if anything, Tilly seemed worse.

Her low-necked sweater was doing nothing to protect her skin from the finger's clutching at her heart. If Tilly hadn't so thoroughly bitten her nails she would have likely drawn blood by now.

Margot hurriedly fetch a glass of water and brought Tilly her tablets.

"You need to take these." She said.

"I can't." Tilly whispered. "It hurts."

Tilly was withdrawn again, small; almost childlike in the way she looked up at Margot. There were tears in her eyes. She looked terrified.

Margot felt tears picking in the corner of her own eyes. Tilly's talk of bad days had not prepared her for moments when the girl she was falling in love with could look so lost.

"How can I help? Where does it hurt?" She whispered matching her tone to Tilly's.

The way Tilly held her wrist out to Margot was childlike too.

"It hurts here."

The prominent scar on her wrist had come free of her bracelet and looked red and angry where Tilly had been rubbing at it. Not knowing what else to do, Margot took Tilly's hand in her own and pressed a kiss against the mark, much as her mom did to a hurt when she was child. She then gently pulled the bracelet back over the scar in the hope that hiding it from Tilly would help her relax.

"There is that better?"

Tilly's mouth gaped a little at the contact, and her eyes more focused and less fearful looked up to meet Margot's with a look of wonder. Tilly reached up to the red mark she'd rubbed on her chest.

"And here." She breathed. "It hurts here too."

Margot cleared her throat. Sure in Tilly's state this was an innocent request… she was begging her to stop the pain… but Margot felt very unsure of herself.

Awkwardly, and with a little trepidation Margot placed her hand over Tilly's heart, her palm touching warm soft skin.

"Just here?" she asked quietly.

Tilly sobbed a little at the contact and nodded. Not sure how she could kiss this better, Margot settled on keeping her hand in place and planted a gentle kiss on the corner of Tilly's lips. It was their first kiss, but for Margot it was a just a balm; a way to heal the heart she was growing to adore.

It seemed to work.

Tilly sighed and smiled.

There was more focus now when their eyes met. Recognition even.

"Margot." Tilly gasped. "I… I don't…"

Margot withdrew her hand and pulled Tilly carefully into her arms.

"It's okay I'm here. I'm not letting go."

Tilly began to cry, the realisation that she'd lost time and the world had changed and she didn't know why reeled up and swamped her.

As terrible as the tears were, having Tilly back lightened Margot's heart. She tightened her hold and kissed her brow.

"It's okay Tills, I've got you. I've got you."

The tears turned into sniffles and slowly Tilly pulled out of the embrace.

Silently Margot picking up the glass of water she set aside and held out the pills. Tilly swallowed them without comment.

And then she gave Margot a small sad smile.

"Thank you." She said.

"Hey, what did I say - I'm here for you, whatever day your having."

…

Rogers raced into the apartment and stalled at the sight of Margot sitting on the couch brushing her fingers through Tilly's blonde locks while the girl was asleep beside her.

"Is she okay?" Rogers asked in a whisper.

"I think so." said Margot in reply.

"Thanks for…" He waved vaguely, unable to put into word how grateful he was for her standing in.

Margot smiled a warm broad smile.

"I was happy to help… really… any time..."

Roger's nodded and smiled affectionately down at Tilly's sleeping form.

"I won't move her. After a day like today she needs her sleep." He said; pulling a blanket over Tilly, as Margot got up stiffly from the couch. If the Detective wasn't so fatherly in his affection, Margot had to admit, she could almost be a little jealous.

Rogers then led Margot through to the kitchen to continue their quiet conversation.

"Did she tell you what was wrong?" he asked.

"It was the scar on her wrist… the weird one. It's like she was trying to tell me it made her heart hurt." said Margot. "I think I helped fix it a little but…"

Rogers smiled warmly at Margot,

"From what I hear… morning, noon and night… you've fixed it a lot - _Her heart I mean_. These things happen to Tilly. She can't help it, she been through a lot and… um… lacks middle ground. She's all or nothing and sometimes she gets overwhelmed. We just need to be there for her."

"I will be." Margot insisted.

Rogers nodded.

"As will I. She deserves nothing less."

…


	2. Chapter 2

**A review on my Ao3 account from Links31 prompted my muse...**

 **Like the prompt that inspired the first part I'm afraid I didn't give you exactly what you asked for.**

…

Tilly was sat on the park swing-set, rocking slowly back a forth; a sad frown on her face. Her thoughts were on her bad day yesterday.

Her chest still hurt where she'd scratched it, and her wrist was still sore - but what hurt the most was that Margot had seen it… Had had to deal with it all.

They were supposed to hang out today; meet up at in the park and have another date day. But Tilly was waiting for the heart-break she knew was coming. No one stood by Tilly. No one except perhaps Weaver and Rogers.

She was terrified, she liked Margot too much to be rejected by her.

As time passed and Margot failed to show, Tilly's doubts were realised - and in truth Margot had had a lucky escape. Someone so wonderful shouldn't have to deal with someone as screwed up a Tilly…

…

"Tilly?"

Tilly looked up from the contemplation of the failed stitching on her sneaker to see Margot running breathlessly towards her, nothing but worry in her eyes.

"You came?" Tilly gasped, truly surprised.

"Of course I came!" said Margot, her smile growing a concerned edge. "Sorry I'm late. There was a delivery and my aunt needed a hand. I'd have sent a text but you don't have a phone. Did you think I wouldn't come?"

"I… I didn't know if maybe yesterday I scared you away," said Tilly quietly.

Margot's smile grew sympathetic.

"Hey, you can't get rid of me that easily… May I?"

She gestured to the swing beside her.

"Help yourself." said Tilly, finally finding her smile.

Margot settled beside her and timed her lazy swing to match with Tilly's.

"If you're not up for much we can just hang." suggested Margot. "You look better though."

Tilly smiled,

"I am. Thank you for your help."

"Hey… any time." said Margot firmly. "I'm here for whenever you need me."

Tilly looked across at her and got lost a little in Margot's loving eyes.

Right then and there Tilly wanted to tell her she loved her. Margot's gaze was so wonderfully calming and familiar. Tilly could almost feel the words pressing at her lips, but something stopped her. They'd only known each other a few weeks. That was too fast to fall this in love, surely?

It was like playing chess with Rogers; in a few weeks she had found two people who felt like home – having never known a real home her entire life.

…

Margot brought them both a hot drink - hot chocolate for Tilly and a coffee for Margot - and they strolled through the park following the shore until they found a bench overlooking the pier.

Tilly sipped at her drink and gazed out across the water.

"I do love the sea." she sighed. "I don't know why – but I think I've always been fascinated by it."

"You'd love the Mediterranean." said Margot leaning closer to Tilly as she spun her tale, their arms now touching. "It so warm and calm - just this beautiful turquoise blue. When I was in Greece I just swam every day…"

Tilly rested her head on Margot's shoulder as her friend's story continued, content at her closeness and the music of her excited tones. She could see in her minds eye the world Margot had seen and she felt beautifully free.

Maybe it was possible to fall in love this fast.

…

As they chatted they made plans for the evening. Jacinda had organised a movie screening in the community garden to raise funds for the planting. The film was the 1930s classic 'A Midsummer Nights Dream'. Tilly knew Sabine still had a few tickets left.

"I can get the tickets and arrange a picnic using my new pay check." offered Tilly, "It would be a thank you for yesterday."

"I'd like that." said Margot.

Tilly was relieved how graciously Margot accepted the invite. She seemed to understand how much Tilly needed to prove herself after yesterday's set back.

They parted. Margot had an afternoon shift at the bar but she'd be free for the evening.

"I'll pick up from your room at six." said Tilly happily, her mind was already alive at how she could make this the perfect evening.

"You mean the bar… right?"

Tilly just grinned and raced off to find the 'Rollin' Bayeux' truck to buy the tickets and maybe dessert.

…

After stressing over what to wear, Margot checked her phone. It was almost six. She should get downstairs and wait for Tilly at the bar.

But just as she got up to go she heard a knock on the window.

Opening the blind, she found Tilly standing on the flat roof right outside her room.

Margot cracked open the window.

"How?" she asked.

"Easy, just climb onto the dumpster and scramble up the wall." said Tilly, wearing a confident grin.

"You do this often?"

"Well just because you don't leave a city doesn't mean you can't explore it."

Margot unlocked the bars on the window and opened it fully. She waited for Tilly to step in and join her, but Tilly was watching her with just as much expectation.

"Are you coming? Or are you afraid of heights?" Tilly asked.

"Out there?"

"Yeah, I've set up the picnic and there's a great view of the screen."

With a slight hesitation Margot clambered out of her narrow window with some help from Tilly and joined her on the roof.

"Don't worry," said Tilly as she led the way. "I did get tickets… it's just better up here."

…

"This way," called Tilly moving towards the fire escape that connected to the adjoining building, easily climbing over the rail.

For Margot this all felt very wrong and illegal but there was also the familiar thrill of adventure. In her heart of hearts, she was beginning to realise she would follow Tilly anywhere.

The two flights of stairs led to a balcony opposite a boarded-up window. Waiting for them was a blanket laid out on boards, and on the blanket was a pizza box, some cans of soda and a bag of beignets.

"Our picnic," said Tilly, as she presented the spread, "I hope it's okay."

"It's perfect."

And it was. Perched high on the balcony they had a perfect view of the film projected onto the opposite wall and as a speaker was three storeys down below their feet they could hear it too.

As the audience filled the lot Margot spotted a few familiar faces, her Aunt Roni, Sabine, Detective Rogers… but nobody looked up and saw them.

It was a nice night and a good film. A baby Mickey Rooney as Puck, and James Cagney, more famous for playing tough-guy gangsters, as the comedy lead Bottom, was truly a sight to behold.

They didn't talk much; just exchanged grins as they munched through pizza and pastries. When the film ended neither was inclined to move.

"That was actually an enjoyable film," said Margot, "Not that I know much about Shakespeare. It always annoys me how Romeo and Juliet are held up as this great romantic ideal when they both commit suicide at the end. This had a much happier ending – everyone fell in love."

"I don't know," said Tilly, pulling a face, "I feel sorry for Demetrius, he was made to love Helena. That wasn't true love, that was magic."

"Don't you believe in true love?" Margot asked. "I thought its always supposed to be magical."

"Of course I believe in true love. It's a nice dream. Don't you?"

Tilly looked hopefully across to Margot and Margot was staring right back, as if mapping every millimetre of Tilly's face.

"I'm starting to," she whispered.

Spurned on by a desire that had struck Tilly from the moment she met this young woman, Tilly reached across to touch Margot's cheek, leaning ever so slightly closer.

Margot smiled and leaned in too, her hand lightly gripping Tilly's shoulder.

Their lips met somewhere in the middle. It was a soft, sweet, perfect kiss and yet so familiar. The taste and sensation felt more like coming home than exploring somewhere new and yet the warmth and love in that moment was electrifying.

"Wow!" croaked Margot, as they broke apart.

"Wow!" echoed Tilly, enraptured.

"We should definitely do that again." said Margot eagerly, as she scrabbled to remove her glasses and post them into her jacket pocket before closing in once more.

This time the kiss was deeper, holding more fire and passion. Heads tilted just right to deepen the kiss - tongues clashed. They were in sync, moving as one. Both knew on instinct what to do. There was no awkward bumping of noses and knocking of teeth. They were a perfect match. Made for each other. They fit like the last two jigsaw pieces; united together and finishing the picture.

Tilly moaned and pulled herself closer, her shifting weight pushing Margot back onto the blanket; Margot grabbed Tilly's waist and pulled her down with her so they truly fit together head to toes; side by side.

Margot's fingers reached up to tangle in Tilly's curls. Tilly's fingers slid under the edge of Margot's shirt to caress warm skin. The rhythm of the kiss was perfect and wonderful.

Eventually they broke apart, breathless as much from the sensation of deep connection as from the passion of the kiss.

Margot flopped completely onto her back as Tilly rolled away beside her, mirroring her pose.

Margot grinned madly,

"We just… That was… damn…" She looked over at Tilly, "…Damn!"

Tilly giggled at Margot's response, her own smile so wide she thought it might split her face.

If this was what True Love felt like, it really was magical.

…


End file.
